The first part of the Old Fort Trails Project, aptly named the Old Fort Gateway Trails, features six miles of accessible trails off of Curtis Creek Road in the McDowell County town. Another 36 miles of hiking, biking and horse paths are planned for construction through 2027.
On June 7, Carolina Public Press held a free and open virtual event with a panel of experts to discuss threats to the future of public forests in the state, including climate change. A recording of the event is linked to this story.
Maintaining trails in Western North Carolina’s mountain forests poses tough choices between recreation and sustainability.
Creation of more than 40 miles of “purpose-built” trail system will serve a diverse range of users from equestrians to walkers.
The Mortimer Trails project expands access for mountain bikers and hikers to meet increased demand despite limited federal funding for recreation in National Forests.
Craig Harper with the University of Tennessee notes that negative public perception about prescribed burning generally arises from a lack of understanding about how fire benefits the landscape. “Many people will argue for increased diversity on national forests, but they don’t want disturbance,” he says. “If you don’t have disturbance, then it is impossible to have increased diversity.”
